Guwahati, Jul 5: Hindi will be introduced as an official language in the Assam Legislative Assembly alongside Assamese, English and Bodo from the Budget Session beginning on Monday, Speaker Ranjeet Kumar Dass announced on Sunday.
Addressing a press conference, Dass said the decision was taken at the General Purpose Committee meeting held on Saturday.
“The meeting was held on Saturday. It was decided that along with Assamese, English and Bodo, Hindi will be introduced as an official language in the Assembly,” he said.
Explaining the decision, the Speaker said, “Since Hindi is a ‘Rashtra Bhasa‘, as a sign of respect for it we have decided to introduce it in the House.”
Dass also announced that ALA TV, which streams the proceedings of the Assembly, would be renamed “Assam Bidhan Sabha TV”.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma dismissed speculation that Bodo would be withdrawn as an official language in the Assembly.
In a social media post, Sarma said he had been informed by the Speaker that there was no proposal to discontinue the use of Bodo in the House.
“Bodo is an inseparable part of Assam’s rich cultural heritage and identity. It carries the history, traditions and aspirations of the Bodo community and enriches the vibrant diversity that defines our state,” the Chief Minister said.
He reiterated that the state government remained fully committed to preserving and promoting the language.
“The Government of Assam is fully committed to preserving and promoting the Bodo language. We will continue to make every possible effort to support its growth and ensure that it continues to flourish for generations to come,” Sarma added.
Bodo is one of the languages listed in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution and was notified as an Associate Official Language of the Assam Legislative Assembly through the Assam Official Language (Amendment) Act, 2020.
PTI
